


Permutation

by luminousgrace



Series: S13 Episode Codas [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst, Coda, Episode Tag, Established Castiel/Dean Winchester, Gabriel POV, M/M, Sam knows and Gabriel suspects
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-06
Updated: 2018-04-06
Packaged: 2019-04-19 10:36:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14235438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luminousgrace/pseuds/luminousgrace
Summary: 13x17 Coda - The ThingCastiel returns to find his brother alive and Dean gone. Gabriel observes the fallout.





	Permutation

**Author's Note:**

> So I guess I'm going to try to make a coda series? I don't know how busy I'll be or how well I'l be able to keep up with the schedule but HOPEFULLY once a week should be ample time. I haven't written very much (at all) and I'm trying to get back into the swing of it after a literal... 4-5 year gap? So please be gentle and as always feel free to let me know what y'all think. <3

Gabriel can tell that something has changed in his absence. At first it’s only the small things, like Sam. When Gabriel looks at him, instead of the same stubborn, haunted, desperate man he’d been those eight years ago, Gabriel sees steadiness where there’d been impatience, maturity where there’d been recklessness. When he looks, Gabriel doesn’t see any remnants of demon blood.

Dean certainly isn’t any quieter than before, shouting with Sam ‘til they’re blue in the face, but ultimately winning in the end. What Dean has become is a lot better at explaining, a lot more in-your-face, honest. There are no traces of Michael’s touch anywhere in him.

The final small change is the location. Gabriel can sense that the bunker is heavily warded, likely the reason why the Winchesters, even self-preserving, had made it their home.

Gabe does some mental math, assumes they managed to avoid the apocalypse, then.

These are the small things Gabriel notices upon being rescued, as Sam uses the needle to gently unthread the seams from his mouth and as Dean steps through the portal with Ketch in tow. The big change come later.

The big change comes in the form of his brother, slamming through the bunker like a whirlwind about an hour after Dean’s departure through the rift.

“Dean? Sam?” Castiel’s voice is frantic, growing louder as he hurries towards the room where Gabriel and Sam are seated. “I just got back and I saw the medical supplies out and I thought- is everyone-” Castiel rounds the corner, eyes landing on Gabriel for the first time, and he freezes. His face twists in a way that would almost be comical in any other situation. “Gabriel. What-” Gabriel watches as his brother’s mouth opens and closes, completely at a loss for words.

Castiel shakes his head, as if coming out of a stupor. “Later. Where-” he turns back to Sam, begins visibly scanning the room, “is Dean?”

Gabriel watches Sam wince as the angel’s gaze eyes land on glowing purple rip in the air, the color visibly drains from the latter’s face. “Sam,” Castiel begins, deathly quiet. “Can you *please* tell me what the hell is going on?”

Sam sighs, glancing Gabriel’s way before facing Castiel. “Apparently Asmodeus had been holding Gabriel hostage all this time, siphoning his grace. Ketch broke him out, smuggled him here. It was the last ingredient we needed for the spell and Dean, just-”

“You didn’t perhaps think to wait? Or to *call* first?” Castiel ask, voice icy.

Sam waves a hand helplessly towards the portal. “Dean wanted to go right away.”

“Since when has that mattered! Of all the foolhardy, reckless-” Castiel is pacing now, long strides carrying him between the portal and Sam, the latter of who watches him warily. Gabriel watches, interested despite himself, at this very... un-Castiel-like behavior.

“You know how he gets,” Sam says, placatingly. “It was either both of us go and leave Ketch here with your brother and no idea how to fix it if anything goes wrong, or let him go with Ketch and-”

“He’s with Ketch?” Cas roars, coming to a stop behind one of the table chairs and gripping it. “Sam, please inform me how the _fuck_  that’s any better.”

Gabriel blinks, watches Castiel curiously. This is certainly not the Castiel he knew. He can't say he's ever paid particularly close attention to, but he's certain that he's never seen his brother this visibly upset. Castiel always struck him as someone who preferred private meltdowns to public scenes.

So by Castiel standards? Gabriel is  _fairly_ sure that his brother is near apocalyptic.

“You think I’m not pissed?” That’s Sam shouting now, anger growing to match Castiel’s. “You think I didn’t try to stop him?”

There’s an ominous creak as Castiel’s hands tighten around the chair in his grasp, but only Gabriel seems to notice.

“Apparently you didn’t try hard enough!

“Dean’s an adult, Cas, he can make his own decisions.”

“Evidently he can’t,” Cas growls, “because no adult would make as stupid a decision as this, nor should he be allowed to by others!”

Sam scrubs a hand over his face, throws his hands up in the air. “Great, well. You know how he’s always complaining about you fucking off to God know’s where and leaving him to worry - well!” Sam gesticulates wildly. “This is how it feels to be on the other end! Congrats man, it fucking sucks! Welcome to the club!”

There’s a loud crack as the chair Castiel had previously been gripping shatters. Gabriel flinches along with Sam, the latter ducking out of the way with a shout as splinters fly through the air.

“Jesus, Cas. Christ.”

Castiel doesn’t seem to hear him, chest heaving as he stares blindly at the glowing tear in reality.

Sam sighs, scrubs a hand over his face. “Listen,” he begins softly. “I get it, Cas. I do. He’s my brother and of course I’m worried. But he’s fully competent and he’s not by himself. Once he finds Jack and Mom, the kid can help him, get them back and... he’ll be okay.”

Castiel doesn’t respond except to crosses his arms and look away, but Gabirel can see the maelstrom of emotions swirling through his brother’s Grace.

Sam sighs, but Gabriel is fascinated.

No, more than that, he’s curious. Curious about Castiel in a way that he hasn’t been about anything since his resurrection.

Castiel, who rarely allowed anyone to touch him. Castiel who, though he wore his heart on his sleeve by angel standards, was always disciplined and severe, focused on his duties. He knew the angel had worked closely with the Winchesters, knew that he had been punished for growing to close to the eldest one but this... maybe close hadn’t been the correct word.

Gabriel watches as Castiel, former warrior of god, allows a weary Sam to hesitantly approach him. Watches his brother visibly deflate as Sam places two hesitant hands on his shoulders. Watches the way Castiel’s hands clench and his shoulders shake and the way he presses the heel of his hand to his mouth, inhaling raggedly.

Gabriel is captivated with this new Castiel. He likes him better than before, see's maybe... just a little of what he used to be in him. To see Castiel this way, so different so...new. Gabriel wants- for the first time in a while- to learn what else may have changed in his absence. He clears his throat, opens his mouth, rasps with a voice faded from disuse.

“Hate to interrupt this lovely moment kiddos, but uh,” he tries on a weak smirk. “I think we’ve got some catching up to do.”


End file.
